Beginner Beard Oil Guide: What is beard oil and why is it so important for your beard

Beginner Beard Oil Guide: What is beard oil and why is it so important for your beard2017-06-142018-02-20http://virilebeard.com/wp-content/uploads/logo-virile-beard.pngVirile Beardhttp://virilebeard.com/wp-content/uploads/beard-oils-ultimate-guide.jpg200px200px

BEARD OIL

I was surprised to learn that using a oil on your beard makes such a huge difference.

The “let it grow and never look back” mentality quickly evaporated after witnessing some pretty insightful real life experiences from people that solved all of their beard problems by using a simple beard oil blend.

This was a huge revelation for me, but it seemed like it’s nothing new to millions of people worldwide. There are dozens of beard manufacturers on the market and each one of them offers hundreds of different scents.

The choice is really overwhelming.

People like to experiment and explore their options before sticking with their oil of choice, but the reality of the matter is that you don’t even need to purchase some high end expensive product to see results.

All of the ingredients used by beard oil manufacturers can be purchased at your local drugstore and they cost pennies to the dollar in most cases.

Just make sure it’s all organic and there is zero alcohol, perfumes or any other artificial element involved.

The ingredients used to make your own beard oil have been on the market for decades. They just haven’t been recognized as potential beard grooming products until recently when the beard trend hit the mainstream.

What are these magical elements no one is talking about?

The two key beard oil ingredients?

We’re talking about natural oils.

Every beard oil you see on the market with any price tag on it, is created by mixing two major ingredients:

Carrier oil

Essential oil

Yep, that’s it.

Here’s a little infographic explaining the difference between carrier and essential oils while providing huge insight on some of the biggest benefits they provide for passionate beard growers

Carrier oils keep your beard moisturized

Carrier or base oils are nothing new.

You put olive oil in your salad every day, but you never thought you can use it on your beard right?

In more recent times, madame Marguerite Maury is the biochemist responsible for the early beginnings of modern aromatherapy thanks to her experiments that included dilution of essential oils with the usage of carrier oils.

… but the came has come for the average beard grower to accept carrier oils as the rightful savior of your beard.

These oils were primarily used to dilute essential oils because they were to potent to be used on their own and they evaporate too quickly from the surface they’re applied on.

Quality carrier oils:

Remain fixed on the skin/hair,

Have mild scent,

Act as both enhancers and controllers of essential oils,

Moisturize your skin and hair,

Keep your pH levels in check,

Increase the shelf life of the final product.

Imagine carrier oils as a natural moisturizer that has the exact same role of a hand lotion, so don’t be afraid to use it on other areas different than your face and beard.

Olive and Jojoba are some of my favorites because they’re great for your beard and their scent isn’t so strong yet it leaves a distinct aroma in the air.

You can’t improve the health of your beard without using a carrier oil, but you’ll need to lover your expectations in terms of smell. Simply put:

Carrier oils are DULL!

Their main role is to:

Keep the skin under your beard moisturized;

Dilute essential oils and make them stick to your beard;

Increase the shelf life of your blend.

… and while they’re pretty darn good at it, you’ll still need to add some essential oils to the mix if you want your beard to smell heavenly or you’re trying to solve problems like weak and ingrown hair.

Below you’ll find everything you need to know about essentials and the health benefits they can provide for your beard and skin.

Essential oils make your beard smell great

Essentials aren’t so thick and oily as carrier oils, having a more watery texture, but they’re the more potent and volatile ingredient in your beard oil.

The name derives from the fact that these oils showcase the essence of the plant they originate from, capturing the exact natural aroma.

There are tons of exotic essential oils on your disposal, ranging from cedar wood to peppermint to tea tree. Heck I even saw some brand offering a beard oil with the scent of tobacco.

The best thing about essential oils?

They’ll keep your beard clean, strong and healthy.

How?

Essential Oil Health Benefits

In nature, each plant has an unique oil blend as a part of its defense mechanism. It can be located in the bark, leaf or even root; but the goal remains the same – protect the plant from its harsh environment.

That’s why essential oils are so important when talking about beard oils. They’re not all about the smell and aroma. They also act as a protector of your facial hair, embracing their role as a strong:

Antioxidant,

Antiseptic,

Relaxant,

Stimulant.

Most of the oils used with your favorite beard blend have the role of keeping your beard clean and even improve the blood flow beneath your skin, which can result in stronger hair and improved texture.

There are literally dozens of essential oils you can choose from, so we’ve picked only a few, so it would be easier to outline the beard growing health benefits they provide.

Each essential oil is unique when it comes to its aroma, but there are some common health benefits these presents from the nature can provide for your beard.

Dandelion Oil – Great for keeping your skin beneath your beard clean and free of any microbial and fungal infections that may arise. It will also relieve you of any itch you may have, so it’s perfect for that first week or two. You can combine it with grape seed, almond or even olive oil.

Peppermint Oil – For those of you looking for the holy grail among beard oils. Check if peppermint oil is listed in the ingredients section. Reason? Improves your blood flow significantly, which is connected with testosterone creation and usage.

Tea Tree Oil – One of the purest natural antiseptics in the realm of essential oils. Perfect for people that have acne and skin problems.

Before we dig deeper into the topic of what makes a good beard oil and how can you apply it let’s see some of the reasons why men should actually use this product on regular basis in the first place.

Why You Must Use Beard Oil

Most of these beard manufacturing cats today will tell you how you need start using a beard oil from the very first moment you begin growing a solid stubble.

This is true till some extent, but … it can be also considered as an overstatement.

Why?

The Exact Natural Process Behind Facial Hair Moisturization

To answer this we’ll need to explore how the skin on your face operates on microscopic level.

Have you ever heard about sebaceous glands? Probably not, because they’re these small, tiny glands located just beneath each and every single hair follicle on your body, except for your palms and feet soles.

Definition: Sebaceous glands produce a fatty substance called sebum, which is then transported to the surface of your skin through the follicular duct.

The mixture of fats that the Sebaceous gland produces is called sebum and it’s consisted out of:

Triglycerides

Wax esters

Squalene

Cholesterol

This is the main building compound of the slightly greasy surface film positioned on the exterior of your skin, and its main role is to make your skin flexible.

In other words, this is what keeps your skin moisturized at all times.

But, what happens when you start growing out your beard?

Sebum oil and beards

It’s true how sebaceous glands are a little bit larger when you compare your body hair to your scalp or facial hair, but there’s one problem.

Sebaceous glands have limited sebum production capacity.

And the problem lays in your beard’s hair follicle.

The longer this part of your facial hair gets, the more sebum it will consume.

How is this related to you?

You noticed that nasty itch that occurs after couple of weeks of growth?

Your body just tries to tell you how your skin is dry and it needs some feeding.

This is where beard oils come into play.

If you fail to address the problem early on, dead skin will start accumulating and you may experience one of the most common problems facing the modern bearded man – BearDruff!

Is this even a real world?

Yep it is and people all over the world try to solve it on daily basis, without knowing that the real SECRET is hidden in beard oils.

Some heavy SICRET stuff we’ve been hiding from you right?

Beard dandruff isn’t even the worst part.

If you keep the skin beneath your beard dry, you’ll most probably experience:

Rigidness

Sharpness

Crunchiness

Dryness

I can’t find better words to describe the feeling, but you get the picture, heck, you’ve experienced this if you shaved at least once in your adult life.

It’s pure logic.

Your face gets dry, and you must feed it with some beard oil.

Oils are a natural supplement that enhances facial hair moisturization.

If we ever try to make you buy some magic beard oil that makes your beard grow like never before, just report us as scammers, please do.

Beard oils will make your beard look better and appear healthier, but the growing rate of your beard is closely related to your genetic structure, the levels of testosterone in your body and your life (eating) habits.

If your beard isn’t moisturized as it should be, you’re in danger of developing split ends. State that can be only cured with some trimming, something I believe none of you wants.

You know you must use beard oils, but what about when?

When Is The Best Time To Start Using Beard Oils?

Good rule of thumb, supported by everything we just said in the previous section, is to start using beard oil either after two weeks of beard growth or when you reach a length of around a quarter of an inch (half a centimeter).

This varies from person to person, so the best advice we can give is to:

Start applying beard oil the moment you begin experiencing the first itch.

Don’t allow your skin to get dry to the level it starts accumulating dead skin as this will only lead to beardruff, which causes a strong sensation of itchiness.

The itch can become unbearable, so start using beard oils right now. Even if it’s the olive oil you’re using in your kitchen.

Best Beard Oil For Beginners

First time beard growers can start by experimenting with some basic carrier oils before choosing to buy a beard oil or make one on their own.

We recommend jojoba and argan because of their mild scent and the fact they rarely cause any allergic reactions.

If you want to mix things up, you can check out these easy to make recipes featuring some pleasant essential oils.

Be Aware Of Allergic Reactions

If you want to start experimenting with some other essential oils, make sure you test them for any possible reaction they can cause to your skin. The best place to test an oil is just behind your earlobe or inside the bend of your elbow.

This is extremely important for people that have sensitive skin.

If this is your first time using a beard oil, go with dandelion oil (taraxacum), a powerful natural antiseptic.

Do a Little Research Before You Buy Your First Beard Oil

You can go and make your own beard oil, we’re cool with that, but if you decide to buy from some of the more renown brands, do your due diligence and find out what beard oil fits your needs.

Don’t overpay for something you won’t even use.

There are essential oils that improve circulation, which will eventually affect your beard growth level, but this doesn’t mean your beard will grow faster than it usually does.

Hope you’ll find what you’re looking for in this article featuring some of the top choices on the market:

How to use beard oil?

It really depends from the length of your beard and its state. Usually longer beards need more oil not only because they cover much more space, but because most of the sebum remains in the facial hair follicle.

Small amount of 5-10 drops is enough in most cases.

It’s like men and cologne. Some of you want the whole elevator smelling on your Pino Silvestre while others just use the Nivea Mild No Alcohol balsam.

It’s same with beards. It’s really up to you, as long as you distribute the oil evenly throughout your beard.

How to apply beard oil

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Just take those 3-10 drops of beard oil and spread them evenly throughout your palms by rubbing your hands together.

You’ll need to make sure the oil gets to the bottom of your facial hair and you rub it onto your skin thoroughly.

Now it’s time to spread that oil to the tip of each of your beard follicles. You can do this with your hand or by using a comb. It’s probably best to use both.

Beird oil moisturizes both your skin and beard.

How often to apply beard oil

It’s all about you and your habits, but usually there are two situations that any beard grower can relate to:

You want the smell and softness beard oils provide – You’re more about the feeling of freshness beard oils provide and you want to apply them all day everyday. Our advice is to do this early in the morning or just before you go to bed because these are your peak testosterone production hours.

You don’t want beardruff and dead skin on your face – You’re using beard oils because you don’t want to have any problems below your thick beard. What you can do is create your own grooming routine where you both wash and moisturize your beard at the same time, couple of times per week.

There’s nothing wrong with applying beard oil on daily basis, but you can also survive with couple of times per week.

Beard oil application photo guide:

Depending from the length of your beard you’ll need anywhere from three to ten drops.

Spread this amount evenly throughout your beard.

Don’t forget to rub it in onto your skin as well.

Beard Oil Before And After Example

Here’s a great example of what some high quality oil can do for your beard:

The image on the left is what happened to my beard when I didn’t use any beard oil. The look on the right came as a direct result of a 10 day regular beard oil application regime. I oil up couple of times a week nowadays and it’s enough.

After months of reckless attitude towards my beard I decided to stir up my own blend and rejuvenate my facial hair. I couldn’t stand the itch anymore and it was almost impossible brushing through my dry beard.

Not to mention the split ends that started developing and the annoyingly weak texture and color.

All of these problems were partially solved with my homemade sweet almond and thyme beard oil blend. I also needed to trim down couple of inches because of the split ends issue.

After only a week or so, and a decent trim, I finally got a soft yet powerful beard that looked and felt good.

You’ll get the same results, trust me.

DIY or Purchase?

I’ve tried to compile a lengthy and detailed list of the top beard oils on the market with tons of data about them and I would gladly answer any questions you may have, so don’t be shy and write your comment or send me a message.

If you have the time and will to mix things up with your own blend, make sure you try some of my recipes or create your own unique blend, just remember how:

Carrier oils must consist at least 95% of your beard oil and you have 5 more percent for all other ingredients and essential oils.